1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electromagnetically powered engines and, more particularly, to an electromagnetically powered engine apparatus which operates a plurality of magnetic pistons disposed within a single cylinder, with a single electromagnet having a core, which electromagnet receives an alternating directional flow of electrical current, thereby to alternate the magnetic polarity of the core for the purpose of driving a drive shaft with the plurality of magnetic pistons, which pistons are alternately magnetically attracted to and repelled from the magnetic core.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electromagnetically powered engine apparatus and methods which convert pulsed electromagnetic energy into mechanical and kinetic energy are well-known in the art. The electromagnetically powered engine is characterized by an engine housing or block fitted with a crankshaft, cylinders for receiving magnetic pistons conventionally attached to the crankshaft, and electromagnets mounted in the engine head for magnetically attracting and repelling the magnetic pistons in the cylinders in a selected sequence, thereby driving the crankshaft. These engines generally drive the magnetic piston in a cylinder by alternating a direction of the electrical current flowing through an electromagnetic coil, thereby to alternate the north and south polarity of a magnetic core, which is then utilized to alternately attract and repel the magnetic piston in the cylinder.
One example of a vehicle powered by a magnetic engine is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,034, issued in the name of Wortham, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In the Wortham reference, a block is fitted with multiple cylinders for receiving magnetic pistons attached to a crankshaft and electromagnets mounted in the engine head for magnetically operating the magnetic pistons by electric current reversal. However, in the Wortham reference, each magnetic piston is operated by a separate electromagnet. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,172, issued in the name of Simpson et al., discloses an electromagnetically powered hydraulic engine apparatus that produces usable mechanical power by combining electromagnetic devices and hydraulic devices to create a pumping action from a reciprocating magnetic piston in a cylinder acting on a fluid that is responsive to pulsed electromagnetic energy. However, the Simpson et al. reference utilizes dual electromagnets positioned at opposing ends of the cylinder in which a permanent magnet piston is alternately attracted to and repelled by each pulsed electromagnet. The use of one or more electromagnets to operate a single magnetic piston increases the manufacturing costs of the engine and has timing consideration problems that are not incurred by an engine which operates a plurality of magnetic pistons with a single electromagnet.
Consequently, a need has been felt for providing an electromagnetically powered engine apparatus which operates a plurality of magnetic pistons with a single electromagnet having a core, which electromagnet receives pulsed electrical current thereby to alternate the magnetic polarity of the core, thereby to overcome the manufacturing cost and timing considerations that are associated with electromagnetically powered engines which operate a single magnetic piston with one or more electromagnets.